ONCE again, ?Pacquiao-Mania? is upon us as the pride of Filipinos takes on an undefeated opponent in the person of Timothy Bradley.
According to columnist Ben Leibowitz, while Bradley is certainly a talented boxer, Pacquiao has some definitive early advantages that give him the edge in this bout on June 9th.
?Timothy Bradley is no slouch in the ring. His 28-0 record speaks for itself. However, Pacquiao?s WBO welterweight title belt will be on the line, so you know that he?ll do anything and everything in his power to put that first loss on Bradley?s record.
Bradley certainly will have the motivation to shock the world and beat Pacquiao (who has won 15 consecutive fights dating back to 2005), but Pac-Man?s title defense will be the biggest motivator.
Pacquiao won the WBO welterweight title in a fight against Miguel Cotto in 2009. Nearly three years later, Pacquiao still retains that belt.
It?s no accident that he has kept his belt for this long. He?s considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport today,? says Ben Leibowitz.
What is different about Manny Pacquiao is his newfound faith in the Lord as His personal Savior. Being around him these past couple of days, I saw how his faith in the Lord has transformed his life including the people around him.
Manny Pacquiao has truly discovered the power of God?s Word that says:
?This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.? (Joshua 1:8, NKJV)
?I have discovered that the Bible is the manual of life, and it has given me a lot of comfort, as well as lessons on being a better person. The Bible has shown me what my priorities should be so that I can live a better life. I am so much happier and at peace because I have embraced the Bible,?says Pacquiao.
He said he came to Christ after reading Rick Warren?s book, ?The Purpose Driven Life,? and that he ?cried through every chapter.?
?I?ve given it out to everybody who I know,? Manny added. ?Now I?m a Christian, I make all my team?we memorize Scripture together.?
When Jimmy Kimmel asked him what will happen if his employees don?t attend the prayer meeting/bible studies, the Pacman quipped: ?They will be eternally unemployed.?
I personally witnessed how all the staff got a piece of paper with scripture verses to memorize on a daily basis.
Ever wonder what sets a champion apart?
I tried to put together a list of what makes for a true Champion. Definitely it is not exhaustive but is enough to give us a picture of the marks of a true champ in the context of Manny Pacquiao?s boxing career.
1. Motivated to win
2. Steps up big and takes nothing for granted.
3. Has a lot of Experience
4. Someone who has lost on the big stage and remembers that he doesn?t want to lose like that anymore.
5. Confidence – losing should never be in a boxer?s mindset but often the best advantage a boxer has is his confidence.
6. Can take a blow just as well as he can deliver one
7. Relies on a Higher Power.
I gathered some quotations to back this up:
?I can?t imagine a person becoming a success who doesn?t give this game of life everything he?s got. – Walter Cronkite, 20th-century American journalist
?The quality of a person?s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.? – Vince Lombardi
?The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.? – Joe Paterno
?A winner makes a commitment. A loser makes promises.? - Unknown
?Adversity introduces a man to himself.? – Unknown
?It?s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.? – Archie Griffin
Well, we surely have a boulder-sized fight in our ? dog? in this fight. Go Manny! We?ll be praying for you.
Hey everybody! Whisper a prayer for the champ will ?ya?
